It may have been a long time coming, but there were tentative signs that
spring was finally on the way this weekend.

The Met Office said that temperatures in England entered double digits for the first time this month on Saturday, with London, Lee- on-Solent and Plymouth all above 50F (10C).

Forecasters say the weather will remain similar for the a few days. Although rain later in the week could bring a slight chill, temperatures are likely to rise within a fortnight to more normal levels.

Britain usually enjoys temperatures of around 53F (12) at the start of April. Parts of Britain also endured strong winds on Saturday. On Dartmoor, gusts fanned a gorse blaze which covered 1,482 acres.

Gardening experts are predicting a sudden and spectacular burst of colour when the weather does finally warm up, as different species blossom all at once.

Under usual conditions, various plants emerge in sequence through the spring. But the weather has caused such a delay that they are now expected to flower at the same time.

Guy Barter, of the Royal Horticultural Society, said: “We are due to have a spring where we see everything at once. As soon as we get a bit of warmth at night, growth really takes off: magnolias, fruit trees, rhododendrons, daffodils, tulips and spring flowers like dicentras — they will all suddenly leap into life.

“Get on with your gardening jobs now and have your camera ready.”

Sandra Bell, of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London, said: “As it gets warmer towards the end of April, we will probably see the plants that usually bloom then coming into flower along with those that have been held back. Everything is just waiting for the right conditions at the moment.”

Temperatures in recent days were among the lowest experienced in April for almost a century.